Honey roast figs with sabayon

1 For the honey roast figs, preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment (or use a shallow oven-proof dish). Prepare the figs by slicing each into three slices across the equator (or cutting them into quarters or halves). Place the figs cut side up on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle honey over the cut surface of the figs. Drizzle with orange juice and scatter most of the orange zest over them. Roast the figs in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes (just until they start to wrinkle and release their juices). Keep in a warm place while you make the sauce.

2 For the sabayon sauce, in a bain marie (a heat-proof metal or glass bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water) use a hand-held whisk to whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together, while stirring constantly over the gentle heat. When the mixture is foamy, slowly add the white wine (or marsala or sherry) one spoonful at a time, while constantly whisking. Keep whisking until the sauce is thick and pale, doubles in size and is custard-like (this will take at least 10 minutes and you can raise the temperature of the water in the saucepan a little at this stage if necessary).

3 Once the sauce and fruit are ready and you have heated four dessert plates, turn the grill on high. Divide the warm figs between four individual heat-proof plates (if you don't have heat-proof plates, place them in a single shallow oven-proof dish) and pour the creamy sabayon sauce over the fruit. Place two heat-proof dishes under the grill at a time for about 45 seconds. As soon as the sabayon starts to develop a golden skin, remove from beneath the grill and serve immediately. Garnish with remaining orange zest.

Variation: You can serve the warm sabayon sauce over fresh raspberries in a glass.